Medical imaging process for triple-energy modeling, and device for implementing such a process

Abstract

A method for X-ray imaging of a body using an imaging device comprising an image sensor and an X-ray emitter which operates at different emission spectra, wherein the method includes: acquiring a first image resulting from the passage through the body of X-rays emitted by the X-ray emitter with a first emission spectrum; calculating characteristics of the body on the basis of the first image, and calculating a second and a third emission spectrum based on the characteristics of the body, wherein the first, second and third emission spectra are distinct from one another; acquiring a second and third image resulting from the passage through the body of X-rays emitted by the X-ray emitter with the second and third emission spectrum respectively; and modeling the body by generating thickness charts for different materials comprising the body on the basis of the three images.

1 . A method for X-ray imaging of a body using an imaging device comprising an image sensor and an X-ray emitter which operates at different emission spectra, wherein the method comprises:
 acquiring, with the image sensor, a first image resulting from the passage through the body of X-rays emitted by the X-ray emitter with a first emission spectrum;   calculating characteristics of the body on the basis of the first image, and calculating a second emission spectrum and a third emission spectrum based on the characteristics of the body, wherein the second and third emission spectra are distinct from one another and distinct from the first emission spectrum;   acquiring, with the image sensor, a second image resulting from the passage through the body of X-rays emitted by the X-ray emitter with the second emission spectrum;   acquiring, with the image sensor, a third image resulting from the passage through the body of X-rays emitted by the X-ray emitter with the third emission spectrum; and   modeling the body by generating thickness charts for different materials comprising the body on the basis of the first image, the second image and the third image.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein modeling the body further comprises:
 generating a total thickness chart of the body at each point on the basis of the first, second and third images;   processing the total thickness chart of the body so as to generate a processed thickness chart of the body containing only low frequencies; and   combining the processed thickness chart with the second image and the third image so as to generate thickness charts of the different materials comprising the body.   
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein acquiring a first image, a second image and a third image further comprises:
 using a contrast product, wherein the contrast product has a maximum contrast on the images when it is exposed to a specific energy value; and   wherein one of the second and third image acquisition spectra have average energies above or below the specific energy value of the contrast product, and the other of the second and third image acquisition spectra have average energies above or below the specific energy value of the contrast product.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the contrast product is iodine. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the energy level when acquiring the first image is between about 10 KeV and about 30 KeV. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the energy level when acquiring the first image is between about 15 KeV and about 25 KeV. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the energy level when acquiring the first image is 20 KeV;
 the energy level of one of the second and third image is 33 KeV and the energy level of the other of the second and third image is 34 KeV.   
     
     
         8 . A device for X-ray imaging of a body, comprising an X-ray emitter and an image sensor, wherein the device further comprises:
 an image sensor configured to acquire a first image, a second image and a third image, the images resulting from the passage through the body of X-rays emitted by the X-ray emitter with a first emission spectrum, a second emission spectrum and a third emission spectrum respectively;   a means for calculating unknown characteristics of the body on the basis of the first image;   a means for calculating the second emission spectrum and the third emission spectrum on the basis of the unknown characteristics, wherein the second and third emission spectra are distinct from one another and distinct from the first emission spectrum; and   a means for calculating thickness charts of the different materials comprising the body on the basis of the first image, the second image and the third image.   
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a means for processing the total thickness chart of the body so as to generate a processed thickness chart of the body containing only low frequencies;   wherein the calculation means uses the processed thickness chart of the body to produce thickness charts of the different materials comprising the body; and   wherein the calculation means further combines the processed thickness chart with the second image and the third image so as to generate thickness charts of the different materials comprising the body.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the X-ray emitter emits with photons of which the average energy spectra have values equal to about 20 KeV for the acquisition of the first image, about 33 KeV for the acquisition of the second image and about 34 KeV, for the acquisition of the third image.